IBM, Cisco to Extend Grids

IBM has enlisted help from networking vendor Cisco Systems Inc. to build out its grid computing vision.

IBM has enlisted help from networking vendor Cisco Systems Inc. to build out its grid computing vision.
Cisco and several other companies last week joined with IBM to form a group that plans to encourage grid computing among businesses.

In addition, IBM last week announced grid computing offerings for four more industries, joining the five the company announced in January. Officials with IBM, in Armonk, N.Y., have said that grid computingthe pooling of computer resources that can be tapped as neededwill be a key component of their computing-on-demand initiative.

Cisco, of San Jose, Calif., will work with IBM to offer enhanced grid services for SANs (storage area networks). Cisco will improve its MDS 9000 SAN switches to enable their use in grids. IBM earlier this year began reselling those switches.
The other companies joining the grid computing ecosystem group are Calypso Technology Inc., Force 10 Networks Inc., Mercury Interactive Corp. and Rational Software Corp., which IBM bought in December.
Earlier this year, IBM rolled out grid computing offerings aimed at government and the aerospace, automotive, financial services and life sciences industries. The company expanded the solutions for the agricultural/chemical, electronics, higher-education and petroleum markets.
The offerings include grid computing hardware, software and services from IBM and other companies.